Sears re-introducing full-service beauty departments

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 30, 2009

Sears got out of the full-service beauty business eight years ago, and now appears to be re-entering it: The company announced in a press release that Sears…

Reader Q&A: How do I drive more traffic into the store?

A legendary retailer asks for advice on getting shoppers into the store, and Kate Newlin responds with some practical tips.

Discounting while preserving the brand

Why retailers need to focus on intelligent promotions, rather than across-the-board discounts.

London retailer puts shoplifter photos on its web site

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 16, 2009

Home Bargains, which operates 190 discount stores throughout the United Kingdom, is taking a rather drastic step in combating theft: it is uploading CCTV…

Breaking retail's addiction to discounting

When retailers emphasize price above all else, everybody loses. Author Kate Newlin offers some alternatives to "okay, available and cheap."

Thomas Pink, Warehouse merge channels with BT

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 12, 2009

British luxury shirt maker Thomas Pink and high-street retailer Warehouse have implemented the BT Expedite multi-channel solution to link their online and…

Thinking beyond traditional retail packaging

How retailers are mixing packaging with interactive technology to connect with consumers.

Why good customer service is like billiards

Retail Doc Bob Phibbs explains why customer service staff need to scatter around the customer, like pool balls reacting to the cue.

How to catch male shoppers: Market to women

The men's grooming market is set to explode, and retailers can reach it more directly by marketing to women.

Luxury retailers expanding the reach of their 'secret sales'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

August 2, 2009

The New York Times reports on the growing incidence of luxury retailers taking their "secret sales" and making them not-so-secret, in order to actually move…

Opinion: Why customer satisfaction surveys don't work

With 95 percent of our cognitive processing handled by the subconscious, how much value is there in surveys that probe the other five percent?

Pop-up shops becoming mainstream

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 23, 2009

The Economist has published a brief exploration of the concept of pop-up shops, temporary stores set up by retailers in unexpected locations — from abandoned…

Retailers taking 'Christmas in July' more seriously this year

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 15, 2009

The concept of "Christmas in July" is more than 100 years old, but this year especially it looks like retailers are using the poor economy to suggest to…

Retailers can weather economy by focusing on basics

Trusted brands and an enlarged pool of skilled workers provide leverage.

Eight tips for better retail brand messaging

A New York City ad agency lays out a process to ensure retail communications reach their full potential.

J.C. Penney takes Manhattan

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

A staple of Midwestern malls, retailer J.C. Penney is getting ready to open its first store in Manhattan, and it's doing so with an edgier advertising push…

New research dissects what makes a 'wow experience'

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

A new survey from The Verde Group and the Retail Council of Canada says that most shoppers — just slightly more than 50 percent — have had a great retail…

Retailers upgrading POS, focusing on its marketing capabilities

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

July 8, 2009

Aberdeen Group reports that 73 percent of retailers rate themselves as sub-par when it comes to keeping their POS systems up to date technologically. And…

Opinion: Retailers need to cut their SKUs

Increasingly, less is more. Here are some tips on shaving your product assortment down to a more manageable, profitable size.

Retailers localizing discounts

July 6, 2009

The Wall Street Journal: Retailers such as Walmart and Home Depot have taken on or expanded some form of "localized markdowns," rather than slash prices the…